Overview
Fund for Teachers (FFT) is a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to investing in the professional development of pre-K to 12th-grade educators across the country. FFT has provided $35 million in grants to more than 9,200 public, private, and charter school teachers for self-designed summer fellowships and experiential learning opportunities. Visit www.fundforteachers.org for more info.
Media Contact
Carrie Caton, Fund for Teachers Director of Communications
carrie@fundforteachers.org | 281-799-1541
About FFT
About the Fellowship
Click here for more information about the FFT fellowship program or visit FFT's database here to search past Fellows.
About the Ramsden Project
Click here for details on the Ramsden Project, an initiative launched by FFT to provide Fellows with resources and support beyond their fellowships.Videos
Fellow Spotlights
Click here for quotes from previous fellowship recipients about their Fund for Teachers experience.
Joey Cumagun
Special Education Teacher
Antioch, CAJoey used a Fund for Teachers Innovation Circle Grant to deepen his competencies with special education and social emotional learning. He completed online courses from the Greater Good Science Center and a TED Masterclass on public speaking to create a community for students and teachers to share their best ideas. Read more about Joey here, including details on Joey's deferred fellowship that will take him to Japan.
Tracey-Ann Lafayette
Elementary School Teacher
East Hartford, CTTracey-Ann is a teacher at Robert J. O'Brien STEM Academy, where she has founded a statewide Leaders in Diversity initiative for BIPOC teachers. For her FFT fellowship, Tracey-Ann and a colleague researched the history of apartheid in Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa, to empower elementary students in social activism and restorative justice. Read her testimonial here and visit her FFT Passport page here.
Michelle Erwin
Special Education Teacher
Cypress, TXDuring her 2019 fellowship, Michelle attended a conference in Australia focused on social skill development for individuals with autism and intellectual disabilities. She toured special education programs in Australia and New Zealand to learn new approaches to social skills curricula and to prepare adults with disabilities to become successfully employed. Read her testimonial here and visit her FFT Passport page here.
Veronica Wylie
Science Teacher
Hazlehurst, MSVeronica designed an FFT fellowship to obtain a SCUBA certification and conduct archaeology and marine biology research with Diving With a Purpose, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection and documentation of African slave trade shipwrecks. This will prepare Veronica to train her AP Environmental Science students to conduct their own research with Youth Diving with A Purpose. Read more here and listen to her recent interview on FFT's podcast here.
Gary Malone
Junior High English Teacher
Queens, NYGary traveled to Tulsa, OK to explore the area that inspired S.E. Hinton to write her coming-of-age novel "The Outsiders" (1967) and visited some of the locations that were used to make the novel's 1983 film adaptation. Gary returned to Queens to establish a collaborative writing project between his students and students in Tulsa. Read his testimonial here and visit his FFT Passport page here.
Tim Flanagan
Middle School Social Studies/Photo Teacher
Stonington, CTTim used his FFT grant to join a photography tour in Cuba with professional artist and documentarian Louis Alarcon to create learning that combines insights about Cuba with photography and digital literacy skills. He recently wrote a blog post for FFT about justice and equity in the classroom. Read Tim's testimonial here and visit his FFT Passport page here.
Amy Clapp
K-6 Science Specialist
Castleton, VTAmy designed an FFT fellowship to improve her bird identification skills, traveling to Costa Rica to learn more about bird migration patterns, conservation, and different habitats. Her fellowship ultimately inspired a statewide initiative in Vermont to help students get outside and appreciate their natural surroundings. Read her testimonial here and check out a few classroom resources she's created since her fellowship here.
Leadership
Karen Eckhoff
Executive Director, Fund for TeachersKaren Eckhoff has led the mission and vision of Fund for Teachers for over 20 years. A devoted member of her community, she also serves on school boards and works with concerned citizens and advocacy groups. Read her full bio here.
Dale Bernardoni
Managing Director, Fund for TeachersDr. Dale Bernardoni is a lifelong Connecticut educator. Her career has spanned 17 years across a variety of grades and programs and 19 years as a principal in three schools. Read her full bio here.
Liza Eaton
Director of Ramsden Programs, Fund for TeachersWith 25 years of experience across diverse contexts within education, Liza brings a deep knowledge of teaching, learning and leadership development to her work as the Director of Ramsden Programs. Read her full bio here.
Fund for Teachers Board of Directors
- Christopher Santiago, Chairman, CEO, MT Salon Holdings
- Peggy Brookins, President and CEO, National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
- Dan Challener, President, PEF Chattanooga
- Karen Eckhoff, Executive Director, Fund for Teachers
- Dorothea Engler, Retired, Director of Special Projects, Boston Plan for Excellence
- John Gulla, Executive Director, The Edward E. Ford Foundation
- Kate M. Kraycirik, Director of Enterprise Risk Management, UT M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
- Corey Scholes, Director of Education, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
- Doannie Tran, Fellow, Center for Innovation in Education
- Jonas Zuckerman, Principal, Zuckerman Education Consulting
Click here for board member biographies.
Contact Information
Press Inquiries: madison@theckpgroup.com
General Inquiries: info@fundforteachers.org